Walking around Sorano means to be in a labyrinth of intricate narrow streets and staircases. Within the religious buildings we can mention the Collegiate Church of St. Niccolò, attested from 1276 and the Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul that is located in the hamlet of Sovana and dates back to the tenth century. Sorano still preserves the Jewish Ghetto on the namesake street, where it was also attested the presence of the synagogue and the unleavened bread oven. The Jewish community abandoned Sorano in the early twentieth century.
Among the civil architecture we can count Palazzo Orsini, an ancient palace of counts Orsini: the original building dates back to the thirteenth century and it was renovated in 1552. Above the village you can see the Rocca degli Orsini or Orsini Fortress, built in the 14th century and then rebuilt in the 16th century. The fortress, due to its strategic position, was frequently attacked and is considered one of the most important examples of Renaissance military architecture. Another thing to see in Sorano is the Masso Leopoldino, a characteristic fort that dominates the town of Sorano on the opposite side of the Orsini Fortress. It is the defensive outpost at the northwest end of the walls built in medieval times and renovated by Lorraine family during the nineteenth century after a series of landslides. It is surrounded by high walls with a tower, and from that point there's a breathtaking view.
